, 1887-12-07

ings tax law should be repealed. While
! this should he done at this session, your
constituents will undoubtedly expect that
| you devise some better scheme
| of taxation of r,lway properties in It's
| place. The conclusion has been reached by
| the people of this territory that rail- way cor
| porations have not been bearing their due
| share of the burdens of taxation, The peo-
pie are not wrong in this matter, and they
| confidently expect their Just complaints in
that regard will be heard by your honorable
body and II remedy provided Questions of
revenue are always difficult to deal with,
ard require much research and thought,
but have no doubt that your honorable le
body will he able to formulate bill N the
premises which, while entirely Just to them,
will etfectually enforce upon railway cor
porations their duty of supporting the gov
ernment In their due proportion. The peo-
pie simply want tair play in this matter,
FRErGHrs AND rAREs.
On my recent trip to the eastern part Of
the territory heard many complaints of
the exhorbitant charges on the purt of rail
way companies for carrying the crops to
the seaboard. The people believe these
! complaints to he just and are looking to
the legislature for some Kind of relief. II
the transportation companies would come
forward in good fai,h and cooperate with
the agents of the people in an effort to pre-
pare u measure that would be just to all
| concerned, there would not be much tti-
Guilty in solving the problem. unfortu-
nately, however, they appear to have pur-
sued an obstructive policy aud to have de-
MED the right of the legislatures Ot the
people to Interfere in the premises. Under
these circumstances the work OF devlsing
proper regulations becomes one OF great
difficulty Al that can be done is To devise
statue that appearsto answer the purpose
ana subsequently amend IT, as defects are
noticed In practice until IL becomes as per-
feet as may be. The right of the Legislature
TO regulate freights and fares should not hr
doubted, h hJwover, and they should never
iorego their determination to exercise II,
FISHERY LAWS.
During the past season an effort was made
to enforce the laws of the territory, which
provide for IA close season for salmon In the
Columbia river. Learning that the laws
were being generally neglected | made two
visits to the river counties and personally
co'operated with the sheriifs there to en-
force a cessation of illegal fishing. This
was finally accomplished. more, perhaps,
by common consent than from fear OF the
laws, which were considered to be difficult
OF enforcement owing to alleged technical
defects. The salmon fisheries of the Col
umbia and other Washington Territory
rivers will yield from two to three million
dollars per annum according to the season
for an indefinite time ii prudently and eco-
nomically managed. As at present man
aged, however, the industry will be des-
gcst that the matter is OF such importance
that 1t would justify the appointment of Il
special committee to consider II. A COM
nlittce OF the Oregon legislature was ap-
pointed at the last session of that body and
given power to incur travelling expenses
and instructed to report upon the whole
fishery question. As the two common.
wealths are Jointly interested in the pro-
lection of the Columbia river fisheries, |
vnntured to request of the chairna an of that
committee the benefit OF its researches. He
was kind enough to intimate that this
would be done, and fully expect that at
some time during your session
will be able to submit copy of the
report. | took particular pains, when !
was on the river Shoulwater Bay, and
Gray's Harbor, to request fishermen of all
classes and capitalists connected with the
fishing industry to make known their views
to your honorable body, in order that be-
ing fully advised, you might he able to
frame law that would be just to them all,
trust that they will avail themselves OF the
invitation. i suggest that the efficiency of
the laws in regard to fisheries would be in.
creased If they provided Tor actions in rem,
or against the gear used in violating the
laS. Amongst the great variety of opinions
in regard to the matter | came to the con.
clnsion that alternate periods of open and
close seasons of say, seven or ten days
would afford the fish a chance to ascend t0
the spawning grounds. Such law could
be made to apply to all streams alike and
would protect portion of each run OF fish,
The penalty for violating the law should
have "a low minimum, as ii Is difficult to
obtain convictions where the discretion of
the court is limited in the direction oflenity.
The maximum, however should be high,
SO that offenders could be adequately pun.
ished where the oiiense is repeated.
CATTLE QUARANTINE.
This office is often IN receipt of proclama-
tons from other states and territories and
rom the department of agriculture mt
Washington announcing infected districts
for cattle and prohibiting the importation
OF cattle therefrom. So prevalent and so
Nirulcnt have certain diseases like pletiro
pneumonia become, that the regulation of
the movement of stock has become neces-
sity to prevent the determination of the
herds of the country. This territory is en-
tliely unprotected in that regard and sug
gest to your honorable body the propriety
OF formulating laws modelled after those of
other states, where the subject has received
due attention, by which the herds aud !
hocks ot Washington may be protected !
from contact with animals froui injected |
districts.
AGBoE DAY.
In most of the states and territories of the |
west and III several of the eastern states |
day OF comparative rest, cal led "ArbOr |
Day" has been Instituted by law. On this
llay, winch is announced by executive proc
lamation, as is Thanksgiving day, the peo.
pie are expected and encouraged to plants
trees, shrubs and vines. Lessons are taught
the children in the public schools AS to the
effect OF forest denudation upon the atmos.
pherlc phenomena; pictures are drawn of
countries where at this time there is moth.
ing but sterility, but where ruins exist de,
note at no distant period the country was
Iich, fertile and prosperous. Each child is
taught by the scnool master and the fact is
brought home to the attention of the pco-
Pile on Arbor aay. that whoever plants a
Tree or shrub, or consigns II seed to the
aartl, is doing mite to avert such u fate
rom his own country. Thus, in addition
10 the mere ultliiltarian idea, there occurs "a
cultivation of the gentler sentiments, which
We, as a people, have been accused OF neg
Letting II not ignoring in our eager pursuit
It wealth. l believe the people would he
lad 10 have you institute this festival in
Washington torrtorN.